Miraculously similar
by Melodic Ascent
Summary: Marinette's weekend started out normal. While celebrating Nathaniel's new mural with her friends, however, she finds that Hawk Moth has another victim, and Alya wants to go witness Ladybug and Cat Noir in action. How will Marinette and Adrien keep their identities secret when they've been dragged to the scene by their friends?
1. Just a Normal Saturday

**Alright, my first shot at a Miraculous Ladybug fanfiction. Let's get one thing straight. For the most part, this story will be told from Marinette's perspective, in the first person. However, in order to comply with the fact that I will need to view other perspectives, whenever Marinette isn't narrating, I will be writing in the third person instead. It's a fairly common format, used in a lot of books, like Michael Vey.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Miraculous. All rights to the original creators.**

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Chapter 1: Just a normal Saturday

Nothing feels better than sleeping in on a weekend. Nothing to do, nowhere to go, just catching up on all the sleep lost from school. It was a perfect Saturday morning. I was sleeping contently, knowing that I didn't need to get up. Everything was just right.

Until I was rudely awakened by a pounding on the trap door.

"Marinette! Wake up, you lazy butt!"

I rolled over and pulled my pillow over my head. "Five more minutes..."

I heard the door open, and the next thing I knew, I was freezing. I sat up quickly, glaring at Alya, who was holding my blanket.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead! You didn't forget did you?" I stared at her blankly. She laughed. "I figured. Maybe you should sleep with the sound on next time."

I picked up my phone, which had been vibrating since...I couldn't remember when I started ignoring it. It was 11:15. The alert on the screen read "Mural Unveiling."/p

I jumped out of bed. "Oh my gosh, I completely forgot! I hope Nathaniel doesn't mind us being a little late!"

"Don't worry about it, girl, these things always start super late. But if it helps you move faster, I heard Adrien's going to be there!"

"What?! Why didn't you say so sooner?" I pulled my jacket on and grabbed my bag before hurrying downstairs, Alya close behind me.

I bolted out the front door, a croissant hanging out of my mouth, trying to do my hair while jogging. I heard familiar giggling coming from my bag and rolled my eyes. Tikki was amused by this! If Alya weren't there, I would have asked her why she didn't wake me up when my phone started going off in the first place. At least then I wouldn't have been in this rush.

Suddenly, Alya gripped my arm. "Slow down, speedy! Unless, of course, you want to become a pancake!" I stopped and smiled.

"Alya, I don't know what I'd do without you."

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The bus dropped us off at City Hall, where none other than Mayor Bourgeois would be conducting the unveiling. Apparently, he had asked Nathaniel to create a mural representing life in Paris after he had won a young artists competition. As I stepped off the bus, I spied Nathaniel on the podium. He looked exhausted, but I could see the pride in his eyes. He smiled and waved at us when he saw us.

As I was waving back, I saw a familiar blonde head sitting in the front row. Though he wasn't facing me, I could recognize his white jacket and hairstyle anywhere. Part of me wanted Adrien to turn around, but I also didn't want him to see how stupidly late I was. Alya grabbed my arm again.

"Come on, we're guests of honor! We get to sit in the front row, so there won't be anyone blocking the view when they drop the sheet!" It was only then I noticed two empty seats next to Adrien. I felt my face get warm.

"The front? As in...next to Adrien?"

Alya grabbed my arm and dragged me to the front. Adrien smiled and whispered "Glad you two could make it! You're just in time!" I tried to respond, but all I could say was a pitiful "hi". Alya slapped her forehead and pushed me into the seat next to Adrien and sat on my other side.

I suddenly felt a chill run down my spine. I looked at the stand to see Chloe in a seat next to the Mayor, glaring at me. If looks could kill, I'd be a pile of ash from those lasers. I wrenched my gaze away, trying not to let her make me feel uneasy. Luckily, I was quickly distracted by the image of perfection sitting next to me.

The Mayor stood. "Ladies and Gentlemen, as the mayor, I am proud to present this amazing work of art, created by a local high school student, Nathaniel Kurtzberg!"

I clapped loudly with the rest of the crowd. I thought I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned toward Adrien, and I could have sword I saw a little black thing disappear in his jacket. I blinked a few times, but I never saw the black thing again. "Um, is something wrong, Marinette?" I looked up and my eyes met Adrien's. I felt sick to my stomach and my face felt hot again.

"Nope!" I said quickly, looking forward again, sitting up straight with my hands in my lap. I heard Alya snicker, and I could have sworn I saw Nathaniel smirk. Ever since he met Lila, he seemed to get over me and started taking an interest in her.

"...without further ado, I give you, Evening Glow!" I hadnt realized that the mayor was still talking. Nathaniel stood and grabbed a rope next to the covered mural. With a strong pull, the sheet came down. Cheers rang out at the sight of the beautiful painting. It showed Paris from the sky, everything lit as though the streets were blazing. The Eiffel Tower shone brilliantly in the night.

In short, it was the most beautiful mural I had ever seen.

I stood with my friends as we cheered, chanting Nathaniel's name. Soon enough, the entire crowd was cheering. Nathaniel's face was pink, but he smiled and waved at us.

When the ceremony ended, Nathaniel jumped down from the stage and was greeted by a giant group hug. When we let him go, Nino yelled "Let's all go get ice cream to celebrate!" I smiled. Today was shaping up to be a good day.

* * *

Alec stared in disbelief. The ceremony was over, and he had missed it! One of his camera guys ran up to him. "There you are! Where on earth have you been?"

Alec hung his head. First, his alarm hadn't gone off. Then his car wouldn't start. Not only that, but now he looked like a wreck after running all the way there. He was having an awful day.

"Car problems," he said ashamedly. The cameraman just stared at him for a moment, then burst into gales of laughter.

"You're late because of car problems? Wow, Alec, there goes your perfect image. Without anybody to cover the event, I just sat here and filmed the whole thing live. Pretty boring if you ask me."

Alec glared at the man angrily. "Shut it, Darl." But Darl just kept laughing. In a fit of rage, Alec turned and stormed off, not caring about the group of teenagers he plowed through.

He sat in one of the empty seats, trying to calm down. Pretty soon, the entire crowd was gone. Alec pulled his microphone out of his pocket. It was the first time in his career that he had missed an event. Tears threatened spill from his eyes, but he held them back. He didn't notice the black butterfly that landed on the microphone, melting into it.

A voice penetrated his mind. "A perfect record, broken. You feel shame and anger. Fret not. I am Hawk Moth. From now on, you'll be known as The Microphone. I'll give you the power to take revenge on those who have wronged you, in exchange of Ladybug and Car Noir's Miraculous."

Alec stood, black shadow enveloping his body. His microphone extended into a cane. He wore a brown suit and black dress shoes. Giant black sunglasses rested on his face.

"Yes, Hawk Moth"

* * *

 **So, yeah. I figured, "Alec hasn't been akumatized yet, so why don't I make it happen?" The only problem with this is it's pretty likely that he will be a victim of Hawk Moth in the future. So, if anyone is reading this fic after such an event has happened, please know, I wrote this before such an episode aired. As of now, only the first season has aired, so i'm going off of that. Any information inaccuracies that have been presented differently by the show will place this fic in the AU category, and i'm okay with that. Just don't think of this as canon, okay?**

 **So, what do you guys think of my first published fanfic? Please let me know!**

 **Oh, and the name Darl comes from _As I lay Dying_. I'm reading the book for a class right now, so the name was in my head. I don't own that either.**


	2. The Microphone

**What the even? I hadn't even posted the first chapter for 5 hours, and I was already getting followers! Thanks to all of you who decided to take a look at my story! I'll try to update regularly, but with the holidays coming up, time may not be on my side.**

 **I also have a Wattpad! I'm posting a couple of original stories over there, so if you guys are interested, go check it out! user/loolaalee**

 **Oh yeah, and I make references to football in this chapter. Please note that I mean European football, since the show takes place in France (so, in other words, soccer)**

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Chapter 2: The Microphone

The ice cream parlor was bustling with activity. Our entire class was in there, with the exception of Chloe. Even Sabrina showed up. Screens throughout the dining room displayed a football game.

Alya sat on my right, taking to Nino. I smiled, knowing how happy he made her. Adrien sat on the other side of Nino. We managed to push enough tables together to fit the whole group in one area. On my left was Nathaniel, who was so engrossed in his conversation with Lila that he hardly noticed me.

I, of course, kept stealing glances at Adrien. He would talk with different people off and on, but at that moment he was simply eating his ice cream. I sighed. Only someone as perfect as him could still look good while eating ice cream. The sounds around me faded into the back recesses of my mind. It was just me and him. My trance was broken momentarily when I saw movement in his jacket. Or did I? I closed my eyes and shook my head. I was probably just seeing things due to the lack of sleep i'd been getting since I first became Ladybug.

I popped the last bite of the cone into my mouth when I heard an earsplitting pitch ringing through the speakers. Ice creams dropped to the tables as people covered their ears, desperately trying to block out the noise. I glanced at one of the screens that had previously shown the football game. All I could see was static.

Suddenly, the noise stopped, and the screen changed to show a man wearing large, pointed sunglasses, holding a microphone at the end of a long cane. "Sorry to interrupt your program, folks, but I have a very important announcement to make!" The voice sounded familiar. I heard somebody nearby mutter under their breath:

"Alec..."

"I'm waiting for the arrival of tonight's special guests: Ladybug and Cat Noir!" I stiffened. It was clear that Alec had been Akumatized. "Come on down to the studio, I think you know the one. And to all of my viewers, stay tuned for the defeat of Paris' superheroes!"

I felt somebody grab my wrist. "Yes!" Alya yelled, pulling me from my seat. "I'm gonna stream it live on the ladyblog! Come on, Marinette, we have to get down there!" She turned to Nino. "Come on, we can't miss this!" With her free hand, she grabbed Nino's wrist, who, in turn, linked arms with Adrien. _Great,_ I thought, _How am I supposed to transform now?_ Adrien looked equally uneasy.

I was surprised when he said "Maybe we shouldn't go. We don't want to, uh, get hurt, do we?"

Alya just laughed. "What fun is there in life if you play it safe all the time? Besides, there's strength in numbers. Don't be a scaredy cat!"

Adrien's face turned red at her last comment. "I'm not a scaredy cat," he mumbled under his breath. Seeing that he had agreed, Alya pulled our chain of people out of the parlor and into the streets, her grip on my wrist strong.

As we ran through the streets, I constantly tried to get out of that situation, looking for any excuse to slip away. But Alya was watching me like a hawk the whole time, and still wouldn't let go of my wrist. Thankfully, the station wasn't too far from the parlor, so she didn't rip my hand off. We stood at the door, pausing before entering. "Is everybody ready?" Alya asked. Despite the gravity of the situation, she looked strangely excited. I rolled my eyes. Just like her to find amusement in danger.

Without waiting for our responses, she pulled us through the door. The lights were off, giving the studio an eerie feeling. Luckily, it was midday, so natural light came through the glass doors, but it was strange to see the place so dark. A voice came on over the PA. "Now, who do we have here?"

Alya grinned. "Just a bunch of teenagers wanting to get front row seats to the action! I have a blog to keep, you know! Oh, I can't wait to see Ladybug de-evilize you!"

I heard laughter through the PA. "Do you really think Ladybug is going to win? Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to get extra attention from our internet viewers. Come on up. Oh, but all but one of the elevators is broken. The only one still in operation is a smaller one used by maintenance workers. It has the same ceiling height as a normal elevator, but i'm afraid the floor space is rather small. Only 3 person max occupancy."

Alya took Nino's hand. "We'll go up first. You two can catch up once we're up there. And remember, don't let each other out of your sight!" And with that, they were in the elevator before I could protest. I stood awkwardly in front of the elevator door. I had to get away, but I couldn't just ditch Adrien! What if he got hurt?

Adrien finally broke the silence. "I need to, uh, use the restroom. Be right back!" He turned to walk away, to my relief, but then a voice came on over the PA. "What's this? Is the boy too scared to watch a real villain in action? Well, folks, there you have it! The youngster is too scared to even be with his friends in the face of danger!" Adrien stopped, his fists clenched. "Fine. I'll get on the elevator."

I couldn't help but feel a little hurt. It sounded like he didn't want to be in an elevator with me. Then it hit me. I was going to be in an elevator with Adrien. Alone. And because it was a maintenance elevator, there weren't any security cameras inside. We'd really be alone. My face suddenly felt hot as the door slid open. I checked my phone, and sure enough, Alya was live streaming. "Well, I guess we should, uh, go up there," I said.

"Yep," he replied. He stepped into the elevator behind me, and the door slid shut. I knew right away something wasn't right. When Alya and Nino had boarded, the lights were all off just like the rest of the building. But they were on now. Not only that, but the elevator had started moving before we had pushed any buttons. Then it moved faster. And faster. It was only then that I realized what was happening. The tampered power system in the building was causing the elevator to go haywire.

I found myself clinging to Adrien's arm for support as we shot upward. Then we came to a jerking stop. My feet left the ground, and in the next moment, I was face down, on top of Adrien. Our lips were touching. My eyes widened in shock as I hurried off of him and into a corner, my face hotter than ever. I was covering my mouth with my hands. _That didn't just happen. Tell me that didn't just happen!_ In a vain attempt to recover, I said, "Uh, sorry! I swear, I didn't mean to kiss you! Uh, not that I don't want to kiss you, but..." I stopped talking. I was already saying too much. Adrien smiled and stood up.

"It's alright, Marinette. It was an accident." Suddenly, the lights went out, but unlike before with Alya and Nino, where an emergency light had remained lit, it was pitch black. I pulled out my phone and turned on the flashlight as Adrien did the same. "What the heck is going on?" He said, just as confused as I was. We'd clearly reached the top, but the doors weren't opening. I heard a voice on the other side.

"Marinette, is that you? I hope you and Adrien weren't doing anything naughty in there!" My face flushed again, a feeling I was beginning to get used to. "Haha, just kidding. Hey, why isn't the door opening?"

"We don't know!" I called. "But the lights aren't working either. _Any_ of the lights!"

Adrien pressed his ear to the door to hear better. "Can you guys try getting the door open from your side?" He called. "Marinette, can you help me with this?" I pushed my fingers into the gap between the two doors and began pulling. Adrien did the same, and I could only assume that at least Nino was helping from the other side. Nothing happened. The doors hadn't budged at all. Then I heard a bang, and my heart sank into my stomach. Then it leapt up to my throat as the elevator fell.

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 **Dun dun duuuuuuunnnn! And yes, there is shipping in this fic. A lot of it. What can I say? I'm a fangirl. It's what I do.**


	3. Identity Crisis

**I wanted to wait a while before writing the next chapter, but after that cliffhanger, I just had to keep going!**

 **Also, is the pacing too fast? I feel like it's a little fast...**

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Chapter 3: Identity Crisis

The ground was gone. My phone had fallen out of my hand and was spinning in the air, the light shining everywhere. I felt a hand grip my arm and pull me downward into an embrace. I had to do something. I couldn't just get us both killed. Though Adrien was warm, I knew that we would die if I didn't do something.

"Tikki!" I yelled, "Spots On!" As I said it, I heard Adrien yell something that I thought I would never hear him say.

"Plagg! Claws out!" I didn't have time to think about it. The moment the transformation was complete, I heard what sounded like his staff extending, and then something broke. "Your yo-yo! Now!" He yelled. I grabbed his wrist and launched my yo-yo through the emergency door he'd opened. It latched onto something, and we were pulled through the opening. We weren't out for half a second before I heard a loud crash. I heaved a sigh of relief. A second later, and we'd probably both be dead.

As the yo-yo string shortened, I found the ladder running along the side of the elevator shaft. Adrien...Cat Noir...whoever he was let go of my arm, and I knew he was safely on the ladder. I couldn't see a thing, but I knew he could see clearly. Besides, I didn't need to see to know who was in the costume below me.

"Milady..." He said. I could hear the disbelief in his voice. "Marinette...wow, and to think, the girl behind the mask has been the girl behind my desk." He looked down at the wreckage of the elevator. "Good thing we were there to save each other from that... _cat_ astrophe!"

I wasn't listening to much of what he said. I was too distracted by my own thoughts. _Adrien is Cat Noir...Cat Noir is Adrien! I can't believe this is happening. Of all the people to be behind that mask, of all the people to be behind that dorky, flirtatious cat, it had to be...wait a minute. Flirtatious? Adrien Agreste has been hitting on me since the day we met? And that time that we kissed, with the Dark Cupid incident...oh my gosh, I kissed Adrien! This is too much to take in..._

"Hello? Marine- I mean, Ladybug, can you hear me?" I shook out of my thoughts. There were more pressing matters to take care of.

"Sorry, I was just a little lost in thought. We'll have to talk about this later. Right now, our friends are locked with The Microphone, and he's probably getting impatient waiting for us. Plus, they probably think we're dead!"

"Right. Fight now, talk later. I can dig it."

I felt my way up through the darkness, climbing the ladder. Cat Noir was somewhere below me, though I wasn't sure why. After all, he could see perfectly fine, so he didn't really need the ladder to get up. I shook my head. Perhaps he just wanted to make sure I was okay, that I didn't fall. _He cares about me._

It took a while, but we finally made it to the top. "Would you like to do the honors?" I said, gesturing toward the door. He grinned and extended his staff so he could stand on it.

"Cataclysm!" he yelled, before charging the door. With a loud crash, the door burst open. I looked around at the scene before me. Nino was staring at us in disbelief. The Microphone grinned, seeing that his "guests of honor" had finally arrived. But Alya looked the worst of all. She didn't seem to notice that we were there. Her glasses were off, and she was wiping her eyes. My heart sank. She thought I was dead. I walked over to her and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry," I said as she looked up at me. The look in her eyes hurt, but I continued. "Your friends in the elevator are fine. We showed up just in time to save them. They're on one of the middle floors right now, recovering from the shock of the sudden drop, but they aren't hurt." Her eyes widened. Then she jumped up, hugging me.

"Thanks, Ladybug. You really are a superhero. You saved my best friend." I smiled. I heard somebody gag, and the sound echoed through the speakers in the room.

"Well, that was too sappy for me." The Microphone had a look of disgust on his face. "I asked you to come here to fight. So, if you could leave your little fangirl alone to record what is about to ensue, it's time we end this. I need your Miraculous, Ladybug. Give them to me now!"

He charged at me, raising his cane over his head. But Cat Noir was there to block him, sending him reeling backward. I heard a familiar beeping, and I knew that Cat Noir was running out of time. I had to end this quickly. Letting my yo-yo string fall slack, I tossed it into the air. "Lucky Charm!" I yelled. A bit of light shone above the yo-yo, then a red object with black spots fell into my arms. I turned it over and saw my reflection in it's clear surface. "A mirror? Seriously?"

I looked around. The Microphone. One of the cameras. An overturned, well-cushioned chair. The bright spotlight. Grinning, I pointed toward the camera. "Oh, Microphone, you don't want the audience to see you like that!" I tossed the mirror onto the chair. "Quickly, look at your reflection!"

"You honestly think i'm going to fall for that?" He paused for a minute. "Okay, maybe just for a second." The moment he turned around, his hands flew to his eyes, blocking them from the bright light that was shining into his face. He dropped the cane. I ran and picked it up, then swung it at the ground, shattering the microphone on the end. Out of it came a little black butterfly.

"Time to de-evilize!" Spinning my yo-yo around to gain momentum, I swung it vertically, then switched into a fast horizontal swing, directly hitting the Akuma. The yo-yo closed around it and returned to my hand. I tapped the yo-yo and it opened, letting the now white butterfly free. "Bye bye, little butterfly!"

I grabbed the mirror and tossed it into the air. "Miraculous Ladybug!" Thousands of ladybugs flew out of the mirror, flying rapidly about the room and then down the elevator shaft. Lights came on, and I could see that the other elevators had started working too. Everything was back to normal. I turned to Cat Noir, who was smiling at me like usual. "Pound it!" we said in unison, pressing our fists together. I glanced down at his ring. Only one spot left. I glanced at the elevators, then at Alya. "I'm willing to bet your friends found a staircase and made it out of the building. They're probably already home. You ought to get going to."

"Oh, wait until I get Marinette to tell me all the details of her being personally saved by you! Thanks so much, Ladybug!" She dragged Nino to one of the elevators. As the door closed, I shoved Cat Noir into the other and stepped in myself. He changed back right as the door closed. Even though I knew it was coming, it was still surprising to see Adrien standing there. I willed Tikki to change me back as well. She flew over to a little black cat-like creature, who I assumed to be Adrien's Kwami. They began speaking in a language I didn't understand. But that wasn't important. I needed to talk to the guy standing in front of me.

But how in the world do I talk to Adrien Agreste?

He was the one to break the silence. "So...you're Ladybug..." he said, staring at me in awe. I blushed, and nodded.

"And you're...you're Cat Noir." He nodded slowly. Looking at him, I noticed the similarities between the two. I was genuinely surprised I hadn't noticed it sooner. They looked so much alike! And yet their personalities had seemed so different. I realized the same was true for myself. When I was Ladybug, I was more confident, I was happier, and I felt like I could do anything. Maybe that's why he had never figured me out either. Without the suit, I was just Marinette, a clumsy, bashful girl who constantly makes a fool of herself.

Adrien surprised me by stepping forward and kneeling down. He took my hand and kissed it. "My lady," he said with a smile, "it's an honor to finally meet you. The real you. No masks, no disguises, just you." His cheeks were pink, but he sounded more confident than I had ever heard Adrien speak. My face seemed to get warmer than it already was. He stood up, and I felt the impulse to hug him. Something shoved the back of my head, presumably Tikki, and I was in his arms, resting my head on his shoulder. He seemed surprised at first, but eventually he wrapped his arms around me. He was warm, and I felt comforted by his presence. It was probably the best hug I'd ever had. We broke away, smiling.

Finally, I let loose the words i'd been trying to say. "Oh my gosh, it's such a relief to know who you are! I mean, I've been curious since day one! 'Is he somebody I know? Is he a friend of mine?' I can't believe I never made the connection that Cat Noir was the same guy who stole my heart when he gave me his umbrella!" I snapped my mouth shut. I'd said too much. He looked at me in surprise.

"Stole...your heart?" He said cautiously. I nodded. _It's now or never, Marinette._

"Yes, Adrien. That day in the rain, I fell for you. When I saw your kind heart, your compassion, your willingness to help others, I just couldn't help myself! I'd never met a guy like you before. And hearing how you stood up for me, that you had a sense of justice, I realized that you were the kind of person that I wish I could be with."

He stared at me for a while, then grinned. "Oh boy, you have no idea how happy I am to hear that. You've probably known for a while that I had feelings for you. I mean, the Ladybug you."

I smirked. "Kind of hard to miss when you hit on me every chance you got."

He only grinned wider. "So you know, then, that I...I love you. And that goes for without the mask, too. You're a great girl, Marinette, but you were hiding so much from me! You're clever, kind, just, and breathtakingly beautiful. And what you said just now, that you liked what's inside of me? That's the first time anyone has ever said anything like that. The only thing people seem to care about is the way I look, but you saw the real me."

I smiled. "And that's who I fell in love with. The real you."

"With and without the mask?"

"With and without the mask."

I felt as though there was a magnet pulling me toward him. He leaned closer to me too. Our faces were mere centimeters apart, just as a chime sounded, signaling that we were at our designated floor, the bottom floor. I quickly stepped away from him as the door opened. Alya and Nino were in the lobby, walking out the door. Alya happened to look back and smiled. "Marinette!" She yelled, running towards me. She threw her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly. "You had me worried sick! That's the last time I leave you alone, girl! And probably the last time I ever ride an elevator. I think i'm scarred for life." We laughed, turning what could have been a grim conversation into a lighthearted reunion. She grabbed my elbow and pulled me out the door. "Come on, you have to tell me all about it!" I turned and waved goodbye to Adrien. My cheeks were still warm, but I also felt warm inside. It had definitely been the best experience of my life.

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 **Yeah, I think I paced it too fast. I couldn't help it, I just had to get to the good part! Besides, these three chapters have mostly been the exposition. There's still a lot ahead, so fasten your seat belts! This could be one crazy ride!**


	4. Lecture

**Okay, so I may have hit a wall. Writers block hit me hard, and with school and everything, I couldn't find the time to write! But fear not, dear readers! While I can't promise a regular updating schedule, I CAN tell you that I will be coming out with chapters at least more often, and possible starting a new fic! I'm thinking either Kingdom Hearts or MLP. What do you guys think?**

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Chapter 4: Lecture

"Marinette?" The voice seemed so distant. My feet were moving on their own as I felt lost and free in my own thoughts. Adrien was Cat Noir. Adrien _freaking_ Agreste was Cat Noir, my partner, one of my closest friends and the only person I trusted more than Alya, the person who I would gladly put my life in the hands of. And I was okay with it. The initial panic had subsided, and I realized that off all people it could have been, I was overjoyed that it was Adrien.

"Marinette!" I felt someone grab my arm and pull back hard. I stumbled and fell on my butt, jarred back to reality. Alya stood next to me, a panicked look on her face. We were on the sidewalk, about to cross the street, it seemed. Only, the crossing signal still showed a red hand, while traffic zipped by at a frantic pace. It was then I realized that I had, again, almost been hit by a car. "Is this going to become a regular thing with you? Because I am _not_ walking you across the street every time you need to go somewhere!"

I stood up, flustered, a cheesy grin on my face. "Sorry, Alya. I guess I just got a little distracted, that's all."

"You really ought to pay more attention! I've been trying to talk to you for the last ten minutes!" She smirked at me. "You wouldn't happen to have been _distracted_ by a certain blond model, would you?"

"Pssh, what? No!" My defense was weak and my tone revealed my lie instantly. As the light changed and we began crossing, Alya began her interrogation.

"Girl, you have to tell me what happened in that elevator! You two did get to spend some time alone, after all. And being saved by Ladybug! I need to know all the deets!"

Believe me, I would have told her everything, but I knew too much would reveal too much about my secret identity. Or, I guess, _our_ secret identities. I knew I had to stretch to story in order to keep the secrets.

"So there we were, plummeting to our deaths, when all of a sudden, the ceiling panel of the elevator opened, and in jumped Ladybug and Cat Noir! Ladybug used her yo-yo to pull Adrien and I out just before the elevator crashed down at the bottom! Cat Noir pried the nearest elevator door open, and the left us on that floor before, I would assume, heading up to help you guys!"

"And?"

"And nothing. Nothing else happened. We just hugged, that's all!"

"Really? Bummer. Oh well, at least your a few steps closer to getting the man of your dreams!'

His words rang in my mind. _"I...I love you..."_ Never before had that phrase been so powerful, so beautiful, so...perfect. Just like him.

We laughed a little, and before I knew it, we were at the bakery, eating macaroons fresh from the oven. We laughed and joked, having a jubilant time. Suddenly, Alya stared straight forward, a look of surprise on her face.

"Shoot! I didn't do that Algebra project!" In an instant, she was out the door and on her way home. By this time, it was getting pretty close to evening, so I went up to my room to do some homework of my own. The moment I close the trapdoor, Tikki leaped out of my bag and floated in front of my face.

"Marinette, we need to talk." My happy mood crashed instantly at her serious tone. Something was definitely wrong. But what could possibly be the problem? I knew who Cat Noir was, and he knew who I was. But I hadn't told Alya anything, so what was the big deal?

"Um, okay, what is it, Tikki?"

"Marinette, now that you know who Cat Noir is, we need to go over a few ground rules. First, you are forbidden from talking about superhero business with each other outside of costume. There's always a chance that somebody could overhear. Second, you...Marinette?"

I don't know when I stopped listening. I was just gazing at the poster closest to where we were sitting on the bed, thinking about what would come next, if we would start dating, when we would get married, how happy I would be with our three kids...

"Marinette! You have to listen to me!" Tikki ripped the poster off of the wall, rolled it up, and hit me with it.

"Ow, okay okay! Don't talk about being heroes while we aren't in costume! Can I have my poster back now please?"

"No! There's still more you have to listen to!" She hit me with the poster again. "Now, the second rule is that you must never, _ever_ , use each other's civilian names while you are fighting Akumas. Actually, scratch that, at any time. Even on patrol, you have to keep your identities secret. You never know if or when Hawk Moth could be listening, and we don't want to take any risks. Third and finally, you must do whatever you can to keep Paris safe."

"Um, I already know that part, Tikki."

"You must understand, this is different. I know how much you care about each other, but you can't let your feelings get in the way of your duty! As a hero, you have to be willing to sacrifice _anything_ to keep the Miraculous away from Hawk Moth."

"I don't get what you mean by that..."

"Say, for example, Hawk Moth had captured Cat Noir and taken his Miraculous and made a deal to free him if you gave up yours. We almost had a similar situation on the Eiffel Tower, remember? When Volpina had the Adrien illusion? You were moments away from just giving away your Miraculous! I'm sorry, Marinette, but you have to put duty before love."

"What? But he could be hurt! Or killed! I can't just abandon him like that! The right thing to do would be to help him!"

"No, Marinette." Tikki's tone was dark, and I suddenly felt intimidated, as if she had some sort of hidden power. "If you gave your Miraculous to Hawk Moth, he would win. With that power, he would take over the world, and likely kill both you _and_ Adrien. As we speak, Plagg, that's Cat Noir's Kwami, is probably giving Adrien the same lecture. If he understands this, then he will understand what you have to do if a situation like that ever arises. Do you understand, Marinette?"

I sighed, fighting back the tears in my eyes. "Yeah, I understand. Duty before love."

"Good. You can talk this over with Cat Noir when you two are on patrol tonight, which should be right about..." An alarm on my phone started ringing. "Now."

"Tikki, Spots on!"

* * *

"What do you mean I can't save her?" Adrien sat on his couch, staring at Plagg in disbelief. What he had just heard was jarring.

"I mean you just can't. Imagine what would happen if you just handed your ring over to Hawk Moth! With both Miraculous, who knows what he could do!"

"Why, though? Why that specific situation? I mean, i'm sure we could just talk him out of it if we-"

"No! There's no talking him out!"

"But i'm sure if-"

"I won't let that happen again!"

Silence fell over the room. "Plagg, is there something you're not telling me?"

Plagg sighed. "Do you know why you've never heard of the heroes Ladybug and Cat Noir before?"

Adrien shrugged. "Now that you mention it, ever since seeing my Dad's book, I have wondered about that."

Plagg sat on top of the television, facing away from Adrien and looking out at the falling sun. "The last time we had heroes was almost eighty years ago. You'll probably recognize the name of Hawk Moth's identity back then. He was a German dictator by the name of Adolf Hitler."

Adrien jumped up in surprise. "What? The last Hawk Moth was Hitler?"

"Yes. Ladybug and Cat Noir had known each others identities for a long time, and had managed to keep them safe. But Ladybug was trapped. With her earrings taken off, she was a simple German girl. Cat Noir ran to her rescue. The ransom demanded was Cat's ring. By this time, he had actually been married to Ladybug just a week before. He glanced down at his hands, at the ring on his left, and the on his right. With tears in his eyes, he pulled off the Miraculous, de-transforming and changing into the plain young man he was. He ran to his wife, only for both of them..." Plagg stopped, sniffling.

"What? What happened, Plagg?" Adrien ventured to ask, though he feared he already knew the answer.

"They were both shot on the spot."

Adrien sat back down, his hand on his forehead, disbelief in his eyes. "Tell me, what happened next?"

"What you humans call World War II. In the end, the Master pulled the Miraculous from Hitler's cold, dead hands just after his suicide. However, the moth Miraculous was nowhere to be found, and presumed to be lost forever. That's what we thought, until the day you two were chosen, when darkness again arose."

"So even if her life is in danger..."

"For the good of the people, you have to find another way, or let her go."

Adrien sat silently, watching the sun touch the horizon. Tears stung at his eyes. "I understand, Plagg."

"Good. Now, you have patrol to get to."

* * *

 **See? I can write dark too. Sorry if that was a little dark for you soft hearted people, but I have always wondered what the story behind the moth Miraculous being lost forever was. I figured, why not connect it to a major world event? If this offends anybody in any way, let me know and I will take it down. Otherwise, I feel like it adds the drama and tension needed to progress the story.**

 **I love all of you! Thanks for your care and your support!**


	5. Patrol

**Okay, I lied, but it wasn't _that_ long, was it? Also, I'm a college student now, so we'll see if I can get more work done, or end up doing less than planned. Sorry for making you all wait for so long!**

* * *

Chapter 5: Patrol

I felt uneasy as she leaped from my balcony, tossing my yo-yo at the nearest building. The sun was nearing the horizon. I hadn't wanted to go on patrol after that little chat, but Tikki insisted that I discuss everything with Cat Noir, and we both agreed it would be easier to talk to him with a mask on. A lone figure stood on the viewing platform of the Eiffel Tower, hunched over the safety railing. His tail lay flat on the ground, his ears sagging to the sides of his head. His usual cheery smirk was nowhere to be found. He didn't bother to greet me as he watched my ascent of the tower.

Everything just felt wrong. There we were, at the most romantic spot in all of Paris, possibly the whole world, at sunset, no less, and neither of us could think of a thing to say. I couldn't feel the romance in the air. Not that night. It was almost like Cat Noir was in an even worse state. It felt like he was radiating sadness. Finally, I decided that i'd had enough silence. Something about seeing him like that just broke me up inside. I had to do something to lighten the mood.

"So, um...you don't seem _paw_ ticularly _purr_ ky this evening." Even as I said it, I hated it. But at least I made him break his frown, though the smirk wasn't much better.

"M'lady, you'll never be as great with puns as I am. Good try though. I sup _paws_ it was a decent effort."

His brief moment of joy seemed to fade. He closed his eyes, letting the wind run through his messy blond hair, causing his ears to flap slightly. His tail billowed like a cape behind him, moving in waves with the breeze. He seemed so...at one with nature for that brief moment. He still didn't look like Adrien to me. His hair was messier, and in that moment, his whole countenance seemed...darker.

"Ladybug...sorry for the solemn mood. My kwami and I, we just had this really deep conversation about..."

"I know," I interrupted, not wanting him to say any more. "I heard the same thing from mine."

"It's just...it doesn't feel right!" His hands gripped the railing tightly. "I could never just let you go! I care about you too much to let anything happen to you!"

"Cat, you know it's for the good of the world. I care about you too, but the safety of others has to be our top priority. We are heroes, after all. It's kind of a part of the job. Still, I understand where you're coming from." He seemed like he was about to protest, but I pressed a finger into his lips to silence him. "I don't like it either. In fact, if I am ever put in that situation, I'll try my best to find a way to save both you and the people of the world."

He looked back at me, tears in his eyes. "But you are my world, m'lady."

His words shook me to the core. Even after all of this, he would still hold me higher than the rest of the world? It seemed beyond comprehension that anyone would give so much just for me. But somehow, I knew he was being serious. Every word he said was genuine.

He pulled me into a bear hug, and I could feel the sobs rack his body. "I don't ever want to lose you. You mean too much to me for me to let you go so easily."

"Cat...think of it this way. If you were to face off against Hawk Moth, and it came down to sacrificing yourself, or losing the whole world, what would you do?"

He stopped, trying to compose himself. "My lady, you know I would give my life for the world in a heartbeat."

"Then you should know just as well that I would do the same. We can't change our destinies, Cat Noir. It's our duty to Paris, to the world, to put ourselves last. As heroes, the well-being of everyone else is our top priority. Believe me, I don't like it any more than you do. But we can't let our feelings get in the way of the safety of the world."

"And why not?" He suddenly yelled out. "I don't care if the world crumbles around me, as long as I can be with you!"

"And how do you think I would feel?" He stopped, looking at me like I'd just told him his cat had been hit by a car. _Oh gosh, why did I make that connection..._ "If you chose to save me and let the world die, do you think I would be grateful to you? There are people here that care about me, people that I care about! If they died, it would all be your fault! You would be at fault for the destruction of the world, and not only would I be angry at you, I don't know if I would be able to live with myself, knowing there was something I could have done different, some way I could have saved them!"

I took a deep breath, desperately trying to calm myself down. Holding back the tears was never an option. I just let them fall, burying my face in Cat Noir's chest. "That's why, Cat. That's why we have to put the world first, not our feelings."

I heard him sniffle as he wrapped his arms around me. "I just hope we never end up in that kind of situation."

I looked up at him with a smirk. "Come on, when has Hawk Moth ever actually tried to kill anyone? I doubt that it will ever come to that."

As twilight blanketed Paris in a golden glow, we simply held each other, cried together. Eventually, darkness fell, and we went about our usual patrol. But this time it was different, because we had built a new level of trust between us. Because we had developed a bond that we both knew would last for eternity.

* * *

I flopped onto my bed, releasing the transformation. Tikki collapsed onto my chest. "What you said back there, on the tower, I think that was really mature of you."

I looked at her curiously, before she suddenly waved her little arms in defense. "Not that you aren't mature! It's just, I think it shows just how much you've grown since you first became Ladybug. Do you remember? You hated the idea of being a superhero. But now look at you! You know your duty, your destiny, and your responsibility to the world. And I really think that what you said is just what Adrien wanted to hear. _Needed_ to hear."

I sighed, staring up at the ceiling. "Still, I really hope we never have to make such a drastic decision. I know for a fact that in the heat of the moment, it will be a very difficult decision to make."

"It definitely will be, Marinette, but after hearing you speak tonight, I know that no matter what happens, you will make the right decision."

I sat up, hugging Tikki against my face. "Thanks Tikki. It's good to know that you have faith in me."

"I've always believed in you Marinette. I just finally have proof that trusting you was a good decision. Master Fu was wise to choose you."

I leaned back against my pillows, recalling the little old man. "I think Fu would be wise in just about anything, Tikki."

"Now, don't go so far as to put that much faith in him. Like you, he has imperfections, and he has made mistakes before. But I definitely don't consider you to be one of them. You are my favorite Ladybug, you know." She floated over to my desk, where my sketchbook lay open. She flipped through the pages. "Watching you learn and grow, seeing the woman you have become, that's something I never got to do with the others. You were the youngest Ladybug. In the past, the Ladybugs I helped were a bit older, having already matured by the time they were chosen. I was skeptical at first, being placed in charge of a teenager. But being with you these past two years has been the best experience in my immortal existence, and that's saying a lot."

I climbed out of bed and walked over to the desk. She seemed to have found a page she liked and was just sitting there, looking at it. Sitting in my chair, I looked at the drawing. It was nothing too special, just a nice blouse with ruffled sleeves and tulle at the bottom. The collar was a simple V-neck. But the thing that seemed to catch Tikki's attention the most was what I had written on the shirt. _Anyone can be a hero._ The letters were bold, with the word "anyone" having polka dots on it and "hero" had cat ears on the "e" and a paw print in the middle of the "o". I had never meant to make the shirt. It was just a cute little doodle that I had made during class one day. But now I could see the meaning behind the words. I, a clumsy teenager, who had been afraid to act, had become a hero. I came from humble origins. And by the prideful look on Tikki's face, I could tell that despite my early struggles, I had become what she wanted me to be.

I had become a hero.

* * *

 **YES I DID IT!** **I can't believe it took me that long to finish**. **I know what you're thinking: "Didn't they just jinx it?" Well, that's the point of foreshadowing, my dear readers!**

 **I also have a Wattpad! This story will not be on there, but I do have stuff there if you guys want to take a look and tell me what you think!** **user/loolaalee**


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